Three of the world's favorite candies — M&M's, Skittles, and Starburst — are officially getting a major sustainability upgrade. Candy maker Mars, Inc. recently announced that it's rolling out new packaging for its candy jars made with 100% recycled plastic, and they're already hitting shelves across the country.
The move is a joint effort with packaging company Berry Global, and it's a sweet win for both candy lovers and the environment. According to the announcement, the recycled plastic will be used in 60-ounce, 81-ounce, and 87-ounce-sized pantry jars (the ones with the square easy-grip shape), and the switch eliminates more than 1,430 tons of new plastic production annually.
This is good news because plastic is made from dirty fuels like oil and coal, which generate pollution that overheats our planet and is harmful to our health.
Plastics don't break down. Instead, they erode into microplastics that contaminate our environment, water, and food and eventually build up in our bodies. The problem is getting worse — a recent study found that human brain samples from 2024 contained about 50% more plastic than samples from 2016.
By switching to recycled plastic, Mars is helping tackle the plastic waste problem and cut back on planet-heating gas pollution, which is a step toward protecting our communities from extreme weather events that are being supercharged by rising global temperatures. Candy consumers can also play a part by tossing the empty jars back in the recycling bin.
While scaling recycled packaging across the world is still a major undertaking, this move shows what's possible when big companies invest in sustainable design. Many big brands have made steps to reduce their plastic footprint, such as Coca-Cola updating to recycled plastic 20-ounce bottles and Google phasing out plastic packaging.
To learn how to support similar efforts, check out this guide to eco-friendly initiatives by other big brands and learn how to support brands with plastic-free packaging.
"In the world we want tomorrow, no packaging becomes waste, but is instead reused, recycled or composted," said Allison Lin, global vice president of packaging sustainability at Mars. "Using recycled content incentivizes increased collection systems and recycling infrastructure, which is essential for a circular economy."
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